Trolley



July 28, 1931. w s 1,816,031

TROLLEY Filed Nov. 19, lss s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN 5 M. WILLIS TROLLEY July 28, 1931.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1929 ATTORNE;S

July28, 1931. M. WILLIS 1,316,031

' TROLLEY Fnec Nov. 19. 1929 a Sheets- Sheet 3 INVENTOR Mar/h M///Ls ATTORNEYS m thecost of such building and Patented July 28, 1931 mAnrmwrnms, on NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA,

ASSIGNOR TO B. J. DORN 00., INC., OF

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, A CORPORATION OF LOUISIANA TROLLEY Application filed November 19, 1929. Serial No. 408,196.

: L: This invention, relates to trolleys of a type using a structural steel shape for a support- 7 ing; rail and, adapted to carry devices of various types suspended therefrom.

1 v Heretofore, in the application of sheet roofing materials to channels or other standard' shapes employed as purlins in some types of. buildingsit has been necessary to erect scaffolding in the interior thereof in order v that. such operation may be performed. The

, cost of paintingthe ceilings of such buildings is also materially increased by the necessity ,of: using scaffoldin It is an object of this invention to decrease painting operationsand I do this by using a trolley which vmay be readily mounted on and removed from purlinsof this type once the trolley has been adjusted to the size ofthepurlins used. My

5:;120 trolley may be adjusted to purlins of various shapes and sizesand may be used therewith regardless of the angle at which they are disj, .1.

T Primarily the invention consists ofa frame other suitable rolling means adapted tocontactwith the upper, lower and toe surfaces of .iazfiange carried by a supportlng rall which also has another flange or web member dis- ;5530 posed at anjangle to thefirst mentioned flange. Bolted, or otherwise suitably 5 fastenedf to this frame member isa second frame member, also mounting rolling means which 0 3ts with one surface of the other flange 3.151135 orweb member.

. One of the frame members carries a hinge or slmllar element from WlllCll the devicefor the support of the worker, tools,

etc., issuspended. The relationship of the trolley and the supporting rail is such that gravity ,will retain the trolley on its rail regardless of the position of the latter, and is also such that the trolley maybe easily removed from the rail byliftingand rotating it in ajmanner'to be hereafter described.

L745, 'A betterfunderstanding of the invention may be had by reading the following description; together with the accompanying drawings, of which I Y I V Fig.1 is an end viewof the'trolley showing it mounted upon apurlin, 1n servlce,

are preferably ball 25 having a suitable number of ball bearingon Fig. 2 is a right hand elevation of the trolley in service, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trolley,

ig. 4 is an elevation, looking from the left of Fig. 1.

Referring to the which may be a channel, angle or other suitable structural shape customarily used for purlln elements in building construction.

in the description and in the Although claims appended hereto, I have used the terms flange and web in some instances to distinguish between parts of the supporting rail, it is to be understood that any structural shape, as for instance an angle which .has two flanges instead of a flange and web may be equally well employed to support my is adapted to ride upon trolley. 7 The trolley the flange 20 of a rail 1 and comprises a frame member 2 which is preferably an angle mem ber. Extending through one of the'flanges of the frame member are the studs 5 and 6 upon which are mounted rolling means which bearing elements 3 and 4 adapted to bear on the upper surface of the flange 20. Slots 22 are out in the ends of the flange 21 to accommodate rolling means 10 and 11 also preferably of the ball bearing type which bear against the toe of the flange 20. These elements are suitably mounted upon shafts 12 fastened to the flange 21 by bolts 13. Between the bearings 3 and 4 but in the lower flange 23 of the frame 2 is a slot 7 which permits mounting the bearing 8 on a shaft 9 carried by the flange 23. In service the bearing 8 is positioned underneath the flange 20 and in some positions of the rail will bear against the lower surface thereof. The other member of the frame 14 is also preferably an angle member in one leg of which are cut the slots 16 to permit of an adjustable fastening with the first frame member. The leg 14 mounts the rolling means 17 at this upper edge upon the stud 18 suitably fastened thereto.

- A hinge 24 is securely fastened to the frame 2 and is adapted to hang vertically regardless of the angular position of the trolley for the support of a ladder or platform or whatever is desired to be suspended theredrawings, a rail 1 is shown 2 with reference augmented by the weight of the frame, the

workmen, the necessary tools and eq uip 5 ment which are'suspended from the hinge.

l/Vhen adjusted for a rail or purlin of a particular size the trolley may be mounted in position for service or removed, without .mzilring further 0 the toe of thesupporting rail in theciearance provided. between the roller bearing 1'? and the bearin s 3 and 4 and rotatin it into position.

The action of a loadon the trolley is such;

5 as to hold it more securelytothe purlin but at thesalme time due tothe frictionless character' of the ball bearings preferably emloyed the workman can easily propel himse'lff along'thepurlin.

Although I have described my invention to a particular use for which it is ver'y suitably adapted, itfinay neverthele'ss be modified for other uses within the s iritof the invention and it is to be limited t erefore only by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

7 Claims:

r 1, The combination with an overhead rail having a web obliquely positioned and a flange along thelower edge of the web extending at an angle thereto in an upward direction of a trolley having rolling means bearing on the upper surface of said flange, a frame mounting for said rolling means, said frame having an element extending under said flange and mounting other rolling means having its bearing surface in contact with said web portion. j Y QI lhe combination with arail -member having flange and web portions, of a trolley which in service has rolling means bearing =on the upper surface-of said flange, a frame mounting for said rolling means, said frame -1 having an element extending under said flange and mounting another rolling elementha'ving its bearing surface in contact I with said web portiomsaid rolling'elements having suiiicicnt clearance therebetween for mounting said trolleyin position on said; rail without ad ust nent of the-rolling elements.

-Lfih'e combination with a rail member having a flange and web portion of a trolley which in service has rolling' means bearing on the upper surface of said flange, a frame mounting for said-rolling means, said'frame having an element extending under said flange and mounting other rolling means in a plane parallel to said first rolling means and other rolling means in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said-first rolling means, said several rolling means have sufficient clearance'to permit the mounting of said trolley onits rail and its removal therefrom without adjustment'of the relative positions of said e- 1 V severarrolling means.

adjustments, by inserting,

4. A trolley for usewith a rail having portions at an angle to each other, said trolley comprising two frame elements adjustably secured together, one of said frame elements mounting a plurality of rollers, at least one of which is adapted to bear on a surface of one of the portions of the rail, another roller adapted to bear on another surface of the same portion and. a third roller element mounted onsaid other frame member adapted to rest in service on the other of said portions.

5. A trolley for use'with a-railway having differently deposed portions, said trolley comprising two frame elements adjustably secured together, one of said frame elements mounting a plurality of rollers, at least one of whichisadapted to bear on onesurfa'ce of one of the portions of the rail, another roller adapted to bear on another surface of the same portion, and a third roller element mounted on said other frame memberad'apted to rest in service on the other of said portions; said trolley providing suflici'ent clear ance between the respective roller to permit mounting and removal of said trolley'from its rail without adjustment,

6. A supporting trolley for use with a rail having portions disposed in different planes, said trolley comprising two frame elements adjustably secured together, one of said elements mounting a plurality of rolling means, at least one of said rolling means being adapted to bear on a surface of one of said portions, other of said rolling means adapted to bear on the toe of said last named portion, still -otherof said rolling means being adapted to bear on another surface of said last-named portion and rolling means mounted on said other frame member adapted to bear on the" fother portion of said rail. I I

7 A trolley in accordance with claim 6 in which suflicient clearance is provided between the respective rolling means to permit the mounting of said trolley and the removal thereof from its rail without adjustment.

"8. 1m combination, an overhead rail having a downwardly directed web and an up wardly sloping flange extending fromone side thereof, a trolley having a roller riding "on the upper surface of said flange and a member on said trolley ridingon the opposite side of the web from the' flange.

In" combination with a railcomp'ri'si'ng a web and a flange extending from one side thereof, the other side being free of projections, a trolley comprising a portion lying beneath the rail and arms extending at angles to the trolley on the same side-of the said por tion, and means on each of saidarms having a tread respectively on the uppersurface-of the flange and on the side of the web opposite the flange. 7 1

10. In combination with a rail comprising a web and a flange. extending frem one side a tread respectively on the upper surface of the flange and on the side of the web opposite said flange, said means being spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of the web and less than the width of the flange.

11. In combination with a rail comprising a web and flange extending laterally therefrom,said flange being inclined obliquely upward from the web, a trolley having rollers thereon respectively bearing on the upper and lower surfaces of said flange.

12. In combination with a railcomprising a web and a flange extending laterally therefrom, said flange being inclined obliquely upward from the web, a trolley having rollers thereon respectively bearing on the upper and lower surfaces of said flange and a roller bearing on the edge of the flange.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 12th day of 7 November 1929.

MARTIN WILLIS. 

